Food plot and a little work today

[unclefish]

That is GREAT Steve! Hope that big boy shows up on Ya!!

Thanks David. I'll be looking forward to seeing more pics of what's on your new place!

[FIO17]

That's what you call "Doin Work!" Nice job

[kraigrrr]

I can't wait to see deer out on my plots... I have not sat on them yet this year...

[jshouse]

looks great man, my clover has been real slow showing up as well...

[unclefish]

Had another good hunt (5 bucks and 6 does/fawns) but the only mature doe had young twins so I didn't shoot. Seems like I always have a ton of 2 and 3 year old bucks every year. That mature 8 has eluded us.



They are starting to eat the plots (kale and rye) pretty good but still coming in to corn.


They are liking the kale.


Chicory


I found my clover...it just germinated so I won't see much use out of it for several more weeks:thumbup:


I put out 100 pounds of fertilizer after the hunt.

[sgtau44]

Awesome thread! Great to see hard work pay off. Are you surrounded by large ranches? I ask cause you see a lot of deer for a smaller place.

[unclefish]

Awesome thread! Great to see hard work pay off. Are you surrounded by large ranches? I ask cause you see a lot of deer for a smaller place.

Thanks.

Actually no large ranches...its the typical 100 acres here and there type country. One neighbor has 70 acres, one has the same as mine (37) and the other has a couple hundred. Not much hunting pressure though....zero pressure during bow season. These plots really are starting to draw in deer from other ranches. The first year I didn't see alot of deer every sit. Now I expect to.

My place has really thick cover and so does the couple hundred acre place. That's where they bed. It really helps knowing where the deer will be coming from so you can play the wind.


I'm trying some alamo switchgrass again for bedding and screening cover. Just got 5 lbs of seed in (2-3 pounds per acre). You have to prep the planting area in the fall...kill with Gly, get a firm seed bed, and broadcast seed...so it will germinate in the spring. I planted 2 years ago but failed to prep the area well the fall before = failed experiment. I will plant once soil temps drop to below 58-60....maybe December at this rate. Seed germinates better if its cold stratified (frost seeded).

[unclefish]

This is what a good stand of switchgrass looks like. Very thick...ideal bedding cover and works great for screening off plots from highways, neighbors, etc....

[EastTexasMan]

Unclefish, this was the first year we planted a FP. Ironically, this is the first year we've seen a 5.5 130+" buck just show up.... He was even spotted in the food plot. Granted we have wheat fields all around, but I'm going to attribute his arrival to our FP! Just proof that a good FP can draw in deer.

[unclefish]

Unclefish, this was the first year we planted a FP. Ironically, this is the first year we've seen a 5.5 130+" buck just show up.... He was even spotted in the food plot. Granted we have wheat fields all around, but I'm going to attribute his arrival to our FP! Just proof that a good FP can draw in deer.

Nice!

Yep I'm sure there are some bucks that eat in it only at night that I never see since I don't have a camera covering the whole plot.

The main thing I think it does too is it gets the deer used to feeding in one location day after day...year after year. Then I think it really doesn't matter what is planted after several years in one location...they will eat it.

[BosqueTech]

Uncle, how hard is it to grow the switch grass? Is it a Texas Native? Thanks!

[unclefish]

Alamo is a native to Texas. Apparently its hard for me since my first try was a failure....lol!

Seriously is all about the prep work the fall before which I didn't do ahead of time. You have to have a clean and firm seedbed. Frost seeding (broadcasting and letting the freeze/thaw action work the seed into the ground) gets better germination than just planting in the spring. The first year growth is not great with it....its establishing its roots. Subsequent years will have much better growth.

[BosqueTech]

Great info. Thanks!

[EastTexasMan]

Will deer eat oats once the get so tall? Our plot is thick and about 8" tall. Attached a photo from tonight but it's fixing to rain even more and the clover is exploding. Will they keep hammering oats as they grow taller?

[unclefish]

ETM in my experience no they won't. They prefer the young tender shoots and will keep it mowed down pretty good. They usually keep mine eaten short until the spring and then you can tell when they stop eating it...they get tall pretty quick and too rank to eat.

Remind me again when you planted it?
Mowing it short would promote some new tender growth and might get them on it.

Did you plant Durana clover?